General Manager Craig MacTavish announced today the Edmonton Oilers have appointed Dallas Eakins as the clubs’ new Head Coach. Eakins becomes the 12th Head Coach in Oilers franchise history.

Eakins, 46, has spent the past eight seasons in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, where he served as an Assistant Coach with the Maple Leafs for two seasons (2006-08), before becoming the Head Coach of the Leafs’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies in 2009. He was also an Assistant Coach with the Marlies in 2005-06 and served as the Maple Leafs’ Director of Player Development for one season in 2008-09.

In four seasons as Head Coach of the Marlies, he accumulated a record of 157-114-4. Eakins was one of two Head Coaches who represented the Western Conference at AHL All-Star Games in 2011-12 and 2012-13. After knocking off the Oilers AHL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons, Eakins’ Marlies went on to the 2012 Calder Cup Final, losing out to the Norfolk Admirals.

Drafted in the 10th round, 208th overall in 1985 by the Washington Capitals, Eakins recorded nine assists in 120 career NHL games and patrolled the blueline for the Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Phoenix Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, New York Rangers and the New York Islanders.

The Dade City, Florida native finished his playing career with minor league stops in the International Hockey League (IHL and the AHL, where he played in 882 games, registering 222 points (43G, 179A). His minor league stops included Baltimore, Moncton, Cincinnati, Worchester, Springfield, Binghamton, New Haven, St. John’s, and the Chicago Wolves, where he won a Calder Cup. Eakins concluded his playing career in 2003-04, captaining the Manitoba Moose.

Dallas and his wife Ingrid have two daughters, Emerson (5) and Cameron (2).